WhatsApp is back to testing profile pictures in group chats
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Loading... - Shannon Bell
- 02 Jun 2023
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WhatsApp has long been a popular choice for personal messaging, but it has been making efforts to expand its support for larger group conversations and broadcast-style interactions, taking inspiration from Telegram's features. While the focus has been on introducing features like Communities, WhatsApp has unfortunately neglected the visual design of group chats. However, there is some good news for beta testers as one visual change is making a comeback – profile pictures in group chats.
Last year in August, it was reported that WhatsApp had started a limited beta test to display profile pictures next to messages from participants in a group chat. However, this testing was soon abandoned. According to WABetaInfo, a platform that tracks WhatsApp features, Meta (the company behind WhatsApp) often discontinues testing to address any issues with a feature's implementation, even if they are not immediately apparent.
But now, WABetaInfo reports that the testing for profile pictures in group chats has finally resumed, signaling a possible wider release on the stable version of WhatsApp. The testing seems to have recommenced with beta version 2.23.12.7 of the app, which is available on the Google Play Store for a select group of beta testers. WABetaInfo anticipates a broader beta rollout in the upcoming weeks.
If you have participated in a WhatsApp group chat, you are familiar with how the contact name or phone number is highlighted just above the messages sent by participants. Different colors are assigned to each participant, and these colors remain consistent, making it easy to identify who is who once you associate a color with a particular contact. However, Meta's Messenger app employs a better approach by displaying the person's profile picture alongside their messages in group chats. This feature proves useful when group participants share similar names.
WhatsApp is now adopting this behavior from Messenger, which is not entirely a bad thing considering that users are accustomed to identifying chats based on profile pictures. Additionally, if a person has not set a profile picture or has chosen to hide it, WhatsApp will display a standard profile picture placeholder that matches the color assigned to the contact's name. However, it may not be ideal if you have friends who frequently change their profile pictures. Despite this, the inclusion of profile pictures in group chats on WhatsApp should be a welcome addition. Hopefully, the feature will soon be available on the stable version of the app.
